1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vibration attenuation apparatus of a drum type clothes washing machine, and more particularly to a vibration attenuation apparatus of a drum type washing machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
First of all, a structure and operation of a conventional drum type clothes washing machine will be described with reference to FIG. 1.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a body or housing for forming an appearance of the conventional drum type washing machine, and the body 1 is provided at an inner side thereof with an outer tub 3 for storing the washing water.
The outer tub 3 is provided therein with a washing tub 5 for storing the laundry, and disposed thereunder is a motor 7 for receiving the electrical power from outside to thereby be driven. The motor 7 is provided at one side thereof with a motor shaft 8. The outer tub 3 is arranged at one side thereof with a belt 11 connected to the motor shaft 8 and to a pulley member 9 mounted on a horizontal axle of the tub 5.
Meanwhile, the outer tub 3 and the body 1 are interconnected by a plurality of buffer springs 13 for performing a buffer action during washing and spin-drying.
The outer tub 3 and the body 1 are also interconnected by a plurality of impact absorbers 15 for absorbing impact by being retracted or expanded during washing and spin-drying processes.
The body 1 is provided at one side of a floor thereof with a vibration attenuation apparatus 17 for attenuating vibration during washing and spin-drying processes.
The outer tub 3 is provided thereunder with a discharge pipe 19 for discharging the washing water after washing and spin-drying steps.
The vibration attenuation apparatus 17 includes first and second fluid chambers 21 and 23 for storing a fluid, and a pump 27 driven by a belt 25 connected to the motor shaft, so that fluid stored in the first and second fluid chambers 21 and 23 can be moved to the left and to the right.
In the conventional drum type washing machine thus constructed, when an operating condition is selected by a manual selection, an electric power is applied and water is supplied to the outer tub 3 and the washing tub 5 by way of water supply means (not shown), and rotation is transmitted to the belt 11 according to drive of the motor 7 to thereby rotate the washing tub 5 clockwise or counterclockwise.
Washing is performed in such way that the laundry articles and the washing water is pulled upwards and dropped by water current control means (not shown) provided in the washing tub 5 as the washing tub 5 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise.
When the washing is finished, the washing water is discharged through the discharge pipe 19, and when water is supplied again by way of the water supply means, rinsing strokes are performed several times. Then spin-drying strokes are performed and the washing tub 5 is rotated in only one direction to thereby perform the spin-drying.
While the washing and spin-drying strokes are performed, the impact absorbers 15 mounted at the outer tub 3 and the body 1 at the floor thereof become retracted or expanded to absorb the impact or shock, and the plurality of buffer springs 13 serve to buffer vibration by way of a spring force thereof.
Meanwhile, when the motor shaft 8 is rotated counterclockwise, the washing tub 5 is rotated counterclockwise to thereby move center of the washing machine to the left.
At this time, the pump 27 connected to the motor shaft 8 by way of the belt 25 is moved in the same direction to thereby transfer the fluid stored in the first fluid chamber 21 to the second fluid chamber 23, to compensate for the movement of the center of the machine.
Furthermore, when the motor shaft 8 is rotated clockwise, the washing tub 5 is also rotated clockwise to thereby move the center of the washing machine to the right, and the pump 27 transfers fluid from the second fluid chamber 23 to the first fluid chamber 21 to compensate for the movement of the center of the washing machine to the right and to thereby attenuate vibration.
At this time, a heavy member (not shown) disposed under the body 1 prevents the body 1 from being vibrated.
However, there is a problem in the conventional drum washing machine thus constructed, in that an effective vibration attenuation cannot be obtained, and structure thereof gets complicated since a separate belt is used to transfer the power to the motor.
There is another problem in that a heavy member should be disposed underneath the body to attenuate vibration of the body generated as the washing tub is rotated, causing an increase of overall weight of the washing machine.